U.S. patent number 8,764,909 [Application Number 12/311,096] was granted by the patent office on 2014-07-01 for water-conducting domestic appliance comprising a detergent dosing system that has a dosing device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH. The grantee listed for this patent is Egbert Classen, Helmut Jerg. Invention is credited to Egbert Classen, Helmut Jerg.
United States Patent |
8,764,909 |
Classen , et al. |
July 1, 2014 |
Water-conducting domestic appliance comprising a detergent dosing
system that has a dosing device
Abstract
A water-conducting appliance, including a compartment for
receiving items therein for washing; and a cleaning agent dosing
system having a dosing device for dosing at least one cleaning
agent, in particular a liquid cleaning agent, into the washing
compartment, the dosing device including a dosing chamber for
holding a cleaning agent, an outlet, a gate for opening and closing
the dosing chamber, and an actuator system for actuating the gate
to move between an opening position and a closing position, the
actuator system including transfer means operably connected to the
gate such that a predetermined movement of the transfer means moves
the gate, opening means for moving the transfer means in a first
direction operable to open the gate, and return means for moving
the transfer means in a second direction to close the gate.
Inventors: |
Classen; Egbert (Wertingen,
DE), Jerg; Helmut (Giengen, DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Classen; Egbert
Jerg; Helmut |
Wertingen
Giengen |
N/A
N/A |
DE
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete
GmbH (Munich, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
38814380 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/311,096 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2007 |
PCT
Filed: |
August 29, 2007 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/EP2007/058955 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
March 18, 2009 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2008/034689 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
March 27, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20090235963 A1 |
Sep 24, 2009 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
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Sep 19, 2006 [DE] |
|
|
10 2006 043 919 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
134/56D; 134/56R;
68/12.19; 68/3R; 68/17R; 68/207; 134/58D; 68/12.02; 134/57D |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
15/4463 (20130101); A47L 15/44 (20130101); B08B
3/006 (20130101); B08B 3/02 (20130101); A47L
15/449 (20130101); A47L 15/4418 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B08B
3/00 (20060101); B08B 7/04 (20060101); B08B
7/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;134/57D,56D,58D,99.2,56R,94.1
;68/17R,207R,3,12.02,12.19,207,12.19R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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19821414 |
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Nov 1999 |
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DE |
|
19947324 |
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Apr 2001 |
|
DE |
|
10217061 |
|
Mar 2003 |
|
DE |
|
10208213 |
|
Sep 2003 |
|
DE |
|
2402604 |
|
Dec 2004 |
|
GB |
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WO 2006069835 |
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Jul 2006 |
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WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Markoff; Alexander
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Howard; James E. Pallapies;
Andre
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic
dishwasher, the water-conducting domestic appliance comprising: a
washing compartment for receiving items therein that are to be
subjected to a handling process by the water-conducting domestic
appliance; and a cleaning agent dosing system, the cleaning agent
dosing system having a dosing device for dosing at least one
cleaning agent, in particular a liquid cleaning agent, into the
washing compartment of the water-conducting domestic appliance, the
dosing device including a dosing chamber for holding a cleaning
agent, an outlet, a gate for opening and closing the dosing
chamber, and an actuator system for actuating the gate to move
between a dosing chamber opening position and a dosing chamber
closing position, the actuator system including (a) transfer means
including a cam having at least one of a wedge-shaped projection
and a ridge-shaped projection disposed thereon for selective
operational contact with a portion of the gate such that a
predetermined rotational movement of the cam causes linear movement
of the gate, (b) opening means for effecting a movement of the cam
in a first direction with the movement of the cam in the first
direction being operable to effect opening of the gate, and (c)
return means for effecting a movement of the cam in a second
direction with the movement of the cam in the second direction
being operable to effect closing of the gate.
2. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the actuator system is disposed on a support member which
forms a wall section of the dosing chamber.
3. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the actuator system is disposed on a support member and the
support member is configured for operation as a circuit board.
4. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 2
wherein the support member is configured with conductor paths on at
least one of a side thereof and internally.
5. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the gate includes a valve lifter with a valve stem and a
valve head.
6. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the opening means includes a first shape-memory alloy.
7. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the return means includes a second shape-memory alloy.
8. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 6 and
further comprising means for applying a force including an active
connection to a shape-memory alloy.
9. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 7
wherein the return means includes a section having at least one
catch, wherein said section having at least one catch is configured
for longitudinal movement by the second shape-memory alloy is
further configured for engagement with the transfer means.
10. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
and further comprising a PTC resistor connected in series with at
least one of a first shape-memory alloy operatively associated with
the opening means and a second shape-memory alloy operatively
associated with the return means.
11. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the gate includes a membrane connected to the support
member.
12. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 5
wherein the valve stem is pretensioned using a spring.
13. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the dosing system includes an adding device and at least
one of the dosing device and the adding device is designed for
releasing a fluid by gravity.
14. The water-conducting domestic appliance according to claim 1
wherein the dosing system includes an adding device and at least
one of the dosing device and the adding device is configured for
dosing during a predetermined outflow time.
15. A cleaning-agent dosing system for a dishwasher comprising a
dosing device for dosing at least one cleaning agent, in particular
a liquid cleaning agent, into the washing compartment of the
water-conducting domestic appliance, the dosing device including a
dosing chamber for holding a cleaning agent, an outlet, a gate for
opening and closing the dosing chamber, and an actuator system for
actuating the gate to move between a dosing chamber opening
position and a dosing chamber closing position, the actuator system
including (a) transfer means including a cam having at least one of
a wedge-shaped projection and a ridge-shaped projection disposed
thereon for selective operational contact with a portion of the
gate such that a predetermined rotational movement of the cam a
causes linear movement of the gate, (b) opening means for effecting
a movement of the cam in a first direction with the movement of the
cam in the first direction being operable to effect opening of the
gate, and (c) return means for effecting a movement of the cam in a
second direction with the movement of the cam in the second
direction being operable to effect closing of the gate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The majority of domestic dishwashers currently in use have an
adding device for holding one or more cleaning agents which are
added to the washing liquid during the course of a washing cycle
for the purpose of cleaning the washable items that have been
placed in the dishwasher. The cleaning agent which has been
preloaded into the adding device is usually fully released into the
washing compartment during the washing cycle and mixed with the
washing liquid that is circulated there. In terms of size, the
adding device is dimensioned such that it can be filled with
exactly the amount of cleaning agent that is required for one
washing cycle. The dishwasher user is therefore obliged to fill the
adding device with the amount of cleaning agent required for the
cleaning cycle at the start of each washing cycle. This operation
is inconvenient for the user of the dishwasher. Moreover, in the
case of such dishwashers, the problem arises that the amount of
cleaning agent loaded into the adding device can vary from user to
user, and also from washing operation to washing operation. An
incorrectly dosed amount of cleaning agent can lead to
unsatisfactory washing results if the cleaning-agent dose is too
small on one hand, and can result in a waste of cleaning agent and
hence an adverse effect on the environment if a dosed amount of
cleaning agent is too large on the other hand.
Furthermore, adding devices which add the amount of cleaning agent
stored therein to the washing liquid all at once do not allow more
complex washing programs to be performed. For example, in certain
situations it might be suitable to add the cleaning agent to the
washing liquid at different instants. Adding devices which are
designed for holding a single cleaning-agent dose cannot support
complex washing cycles of this type.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention addresses the problem of providing a water-conducting
domestic appliance which comprises a cleaning-agent dosing system
and is inexpensive to realize. Furthermore, the invention addresses
the problem of providing a corresponding cleaning-agent dosing
system.
The problem is solved by the patent claim 1. Advantageous
embodiments are derived in each case from the dependent patent
claims.
The water-conducting domestic appliance according to the invention,
in particular a domestic dishwasher with a cleaning-agent dosing
system, features a device for dosing at least one fluid into the
washing compartment of a dishwasher, a chamber for holding at least
one added fluid, and an outlet which can be opened and closed by
means of a gate. The cleaning-agent dosing system is designed e.g.
for installation adjacent to a washing compartment of the
dishwasher within the dishwasher, and contains at least one
cleaning agent, wherein the preloaded amount of cleaning agent is
greater than the amount that is required for one washing cycle. In
this case, "adjacent to a washing compartment" means that the
cleaning-agent dosing system is permanently integrated into a part
of the dishwasher, e.g. a side wall of the housing or a door of the
dishwasher. Furthermore, the cleaning-agent dosing system features
a connection to the dishwasher control unit. Cleaning agents can be
compositions of a multiplicity of cleaning components or individual
cleaning substances such as an enzyme, for example. The cleaning
agents can take the form of a liquid or a gel. The cleaning agents
can be arranged in a plurality of chambers of the cartridge.
However, provision can also be made for the cleaning-agent dosing
system to be designed so as to hold a corresponding number of
cartridges comprising just one chamber. The gate can be activated
by means of an actuator system, wherein the actuator system
comprises the following features according to the invention:
provision is made for a transfer means which has an active
connection to the gate, such that a movement of the transfer means
causes a movement of the gate. In this case, the transfer means can
be rotatably mounted, wherein its axis of rotation is arranged
parallel with or essentially parallel with a direction of movement
of the gate and the transfer means is actively connected to the
gate such that a rotational movement of the transfer means results
in a movement of the gate. The actuator system also comprises
opening means which cause a movement, e.g. a rotational movement,
of the transfer means in a first direction for the purpose of
opening the gate, and return means which cause a movement, e.g. a
rotational movement, of the transfer means in a second direction
for the purpose of closing the gate.
A device according to the invention is distinguished by its modest
space requirement, a simple and robust mechanism, and high cost
efficiency. The device allows the precise dosing and/or adding of a
fluid, in particular a cleaning agent.
It is possible to manufacture the device in a particularly
economical and simple manner because the actuator system is
arranged on a support which forms a wall section of the chamber.
Consequently, the actuator system can be manufactured separately
from the chamber, this being part of a cleaning-agent dosing system
which is described subsequently. This separate manufacture has the
advantage that preassembly of the actuator system including all
control means is possible. During the manufacturing processes, it
is merely necessary to connect the support with the actuator system
to the chamber.
The support can have the functionality of a circuit board and
provide an electrical wiring. In this case, the support can feature
conductor paths on at least one of its main sides and/or
internally. In particular, the support can be manufactured using
the so-called insert technique, according to which conductor paths
are coated with support material.
The gate comprises a valve lifter with a valve stem and a valve
head, wherein the valve stem can project through the support in
such a way that the valve head lies outside of the chamber and the
transfer means is arranged between the valve head and the support.
The transfer means preferably features a wedge-shaped or
ridge-shaped projection which increases the distance between the
valve head and the transfer means in the case of a rotational
movement in the first direction, for example, such that a movement
of the valve stem is effected.
By virtue of the rotational movement, the projection moves under
the valve head, such that an increasing angle of rotation results
in a movement of the valve stem away from the outlet. A movement of
the valve stem in the opposite direction can be effected by further
rotation or by rotational movement in the opposite direction
(generally: in a second direction), such that the outlet is closed
by the gate as a result.
In an embodiment, the opening means features a first shape-memory
alloy which effects the rotational movement of the transfer means
in the first direction in response to a control signal. A
shape-memory alloy is used for converting thermal energy into
mechanical energy due to the memory effect. Shape-memory alloys are
also referred to as memory metals. They can transfer very large
forces in a plurality of 100,000s (hundreds of thousands) of motive
cycles. The shape conversion is based on the temperature-dependent
lattice transformation of two different crystal structures of a
material. A shape change is effected by heating the shape-memory
alloy. The reversion of the shape when the shape-memory alloy cools
can be forced by the action of an external (mechanical) force. For
this purpose, a means can be provided for applying a mechanical
force, in particular a spring. Furthermore, provision can be made
for the return means to feature a second shape-memory alloy which
effects the rotational movement of the transfer means in the second
direction in response to a control signal. The use of shape-memory
alloys as actuators allows a particularly simple design structure
of the device for adding and/or dosing the fluid, and hence
economical manufacturing.
The return means can feature a section comprising at least one
catch, wherein said section can be moved longitudinally by the
second shape-memory alloy and can be made to engage with the
transfer means in order to effect a rotational movement in the
second direction. Consequently, the return means does not have to
be actively connected to the transfer means at all times, and
therefore modest forces need to be overcome when activating the
transfer means using the opening means in particular.
In order to cause heating of the first and/or second shape-memory
alloy for the purpose of shape change of the shape-memory alloy,
provision is made for connecting a PTC resistor in series with the
first and/or second shape-memory alloy. This means that a shared
PTC resistor can be provided for the first and the second
shape-memory alloy. It is also possible to connect a dedicated PTC
resistor in each case to the first or second shape-memory
alloy.
The gate in the chamber preferably features a membrane which is
connected to the support. In this case, for example, the gate can
be formed by a flexible impermeable membrane which is permanently
connected to the support, and by means of which the chamber is
divided into a first and a second chamber section, and which is
permanently connected in a first chamber section to a valve stem
end that is opposite to the valve head. The membrane provides a
seal for the actuator system against the fluid. At the same time,
the volume of the chamber and hence the preloaded fluid contained
therein can be determined by the form of the membrane. The membrane
material is freely selectable, wherein consideration is given to
rubber in particular.
The valve stem is preferably pretensioned in a sprung manner. For
example, the valve stem can be surrounded by a compression spring
in the first chamber section in order to apply a force which acts
on the gate of the outlet. It is thus ensured that, after
activation of the gate means by the compression spring, the gate is
securely pressed against the outlet in order to prevent any further
escape of fluid from the chamber.
In an embodiment, the device is designed for releasing a fluid by
means of gravitational effect and for dosing during an outflow time
which can be specified.
A cleaning-agent dosing system according to the invention comprises
at least one device for dosing and/or adding a fluid as described
above.
The invention also includes a cleaning-agent dosing system for
dishwashers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in greater detail below with reference
to the figures, in which:
FIG. 1 shows an inventive dishwasher comprising a cleaning-agent
dosing system which is arranged in a container wall of the
dishwasher,
FIG. 2 shows a section through a cleaning-agent dosing system
according to the invention, wherein a device arranged in a dosing
chamber is illustrated and cleaning agent can be supplied from a
cartridge into the washing compartment of the dishwasher by means
of said device,
FIG. 3 shows a plan view of an inventive device for dosing and/or
adding a fluid,
FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a plurality of devices for separate
dosing and/or adding of fluids for a cleaning-agent dosing
system,
FIG. 5 shows a section through the device in FIG. 3, and
FIG. 6 shows an electrical equivalent circuit diagram of the adding
device according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a dishwasher 1 according to the invention, featuring a
door 3 which is mounted on a housing 2 in a hinged manner. The door
3 is illustrated in its open position in the figure. Kitchenware
baskets 5, 6 are arranged in a known manner in a washing
compartment 4 which can be closed by the door 3. A cleaning-agent
dosing system 10 comprising a cleaning-agent dispenser 11 and a
cartridge 50, which contains at least two cleaning agents which are
stored separately from each other, is arranged by way of example in
a container wall 7 of the housing 2. FIG. 1 shows the arrangement
of the cleaning-agent dosing system 10 between the upper basket 5
and the lower basket 6, said arrangement being preferred in this
case. In this case, the cleaning-agent dispenser 11 which holds the
cartridge 50 is arranged in a section of the container wall 7 which
is positioned near to the door opening, in order to facilitate the
insertion and removal of the cartridges 50 into and from the
cleaning-agent dispenser 11 by the user.
The cleaning-agent dosing system 10, as illustrated in the
dishwasher according to FIG. 1, shows the cleaning-agent dispenser
11 arranged in the container wall 7. This comprises a housing 12
and a cover 13 which is pivotably mounted relative to the housing.
When the cover 13 is in its open position as illustrated in FIG. 1,
the cartridges 50 can be inserted into the cover from within the
washing compartment 4. For the purpose of holding and securing, the
cover 13 includes e.g. two symmetrically arranged retaining
brackets which have e.g. an L-shaped form and are adapted to the
size of the cartridge 50, such that the retaining brackets hold the
cartridge 50 securely following insertion. The cover features a
molded seating surface, such that the cartridge 50 comes to rest in
a defined position. As a result of closing the cover, the cartridge
is moved into a holding compartment of the cleaning-agent dispenser
11 and pushed into its final position by means of catches and/or
projections if applicable on the housing of the cleaning-agent
dispenser.
FIG. 2 shows a section through a cleaning-agent dosing system 10
according to the invention. Provision is made for one or more
outlets 19 in the housing 12 of the cleaning-agent dispenser 11.
The outlets 19 open into a dosing chamber 20 in each case, only one
dosing chamber 20 and correspondingly one outlet 19 being visible
in the cross section in FIG. 2. The dosing chamber 20 is connected
to a chamber 51 of the cartridge 50 via a canula 21. The delivery
of the cleaning agent can be effected using gravity. The cartridge
50 features e.g. five chambers for holding in each case a cleaning
agent or a cleaning-agent mixture. In this case, the size of the
individual chambers is preferably dimensioned according to the
volumes required during a predetermined number of washing cycles.
The volume of the various cleaning agents in the chambers is
preferably proportioned such that all the chambers are fully
emptied after a specific number of washing cycles, preferably
between 20 and 40, and preferably approximately 30. Each of the
chambers is equipped with an openable gate in the form of a
membrane, a film or an elastomer. The membrane closes the
individual chambers 51 in the manner of a seal, such that no
cleaning agent can escape during the storage and transport of the
cartridges 50. When the cartridge 50 is inserted into the
cleaning-agent dispenser 11, the membranes are pierced by the
canulas (cf. FIG. 2) which are correspondingly arranged in the
cleaning-agent dispenser 11, such that cleaning agent can be added
into the washing compartment in accordance with a corresponding
dosing device.
The cartridge is preferably made of plastic and has a width B of
approximately 200 mm, a height H of approximately 125 mm and a
depth of approximately 25 mm. As a result of these dimensions, it
is possible to proportion the volume of the different chambers such
that the desired 20 to 40 washing cycles can be carried out using
one cartridge.
A dosing and adding device is arranged in the dosing chamber 20
and, in the present exemplary embodiment, comprises an impermeable
membrane 26 which is movably held in the dosing chamber 20 and an
actuator system for the membrane 26. The membrane 26 divides the
dosing chamber 20 into a first and a second chamber section,
wherein the first chamber section holds components of the actuator
system and the second chamber section is connected to the outlet
19. The membrane 26 is shaped such that it can be moved between a
position which closes the outlet 19 and a position which opens the
outlet. The membrane 26 has a foxglove-like form in cross section,
wherein a tip of the membrane corresponds to the outlet 19. At its
end, the membrane 26 has a collar 29 which fits very closely
against a support 37. In the first chamber section, a valve lifter
22 projects through the support 37 from outside the dosing chamber
20. The valve lifter 22 comprises a valve stem 27 and a valve head
28, the latter being arranged on the outside of the dosing chamber
20. That end of the valve stem 27 which is located on the inside of
the first chamber section features a bulb 30 which is surrounded by
membrane material of the membrane 26 in order to produce a
mechanical connection. Adjacent to this, the valve stem 27 features
a thrust bearing 35. A compression spring 24 is arranged between
the thrust bearing 35 and a main side which is associated with the
inside of the dosing chamber 20. A rotatably mounted transfer means
23 which is designed as a valve activation lever is arranged
between the valve head 28 and an external main side of the support
37. The valve activation lever 23 features a wedge-shaped or
ridge-shaped projection 36 on its side which faces the valve head
28.
All parts of the actuator system described above can be mounted on
the support 37. In order to locate the dosing and adding device in
the dosing chamber, it is merely necessary to attach the support to
the housing of the cleaning-agent dosing system.
The functionality is explained in greater detail below with
reference to the FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows a magnified
illustration of the inventive dosing and adding device in a plan
view. In this illustration, it can be seen that the valve head 28
features shoulders 31 on opposite sides. It is also clearly evident
that the valve activation lever 23 comprises two engagement
elements 32, 33 which are arranged on opposite sides and can be
designed as a unitary and integral part of the valve activation
lever 23. Arranged adjacently and corresponding to the engagement
elements 32, 33 are e.g. wedge-shaped projections 36. Attached to
the engagement element 32 is a shape-memory alloy 38 which is
attached to a contact pin 53 at its other end. The contact pin 53
is made of an electrically conductive material and is anchored in
the support 37 (cf. FIG. 5), where it is in electrical contact with
reciprocal contacts 54. A conductor 40 is arranged opposite the
shape-memory alloy 38 and is attached at its other end to an
electrically conductive contact pin 52. The contact pin 52 is
likewise anchored in the support 37 in an electrically conductive
manner as illustrated in FIG. 5. The contact pin 52 can be designed
to extend within the support 37 using the so-called insert
technique. The conductor 40 takes the form of a tension spring and
is electrically connected to the shape-memory alloy 38 via a
conductor 41 which passes through the engagement element 32. This
is illustrated by the broken line having the reference sign 41. The
electrical connection between the conductor 40 and the shape-memory
alloy 38 can be made within the engagement element 32.
In FIG. 3, the continuous lines (cf. reference signs 32 and 36)
show the dosing and adding device in a state in which the membrane
fits very closely against the outlet (GS: closed position). This
means that any addition of cleaning agent via the outlet into the
washing chamber is not possible in this position. In order to open
the gate, a current is applied to the shape-memory alloy 38, said
current flowing through a PTC resistor (not shown in FIG. 3) which
is connected in series with the shape-memory alloy 38. As a result
of the properties of the PTC resistor and the warming of the
shape-memory alloy 38, the latter contracts (cf. arrow C), thereby
causing a rotational movement in the direction of the arrow
identified as "A". In this case, a position is finally reached
which is identified by the broken lines 32' and 36'. As a result of
the rotation, the projections 36 are pushed under shoulders 31,
whereby the membrane is removed away from the outlet. The desired
opening of the gate (OS: open position) is produced thereby.
If the conductor 40 in the form of a spring element is dimensioned
correspondingly, the shape-memory alloy 38 could be brought back to
the starting position as a result of the return force of the
conductor 40 as soon as the current flow through the shape-memory
alloy is interrupted and the introduction of heat is discontinued.
However, since this would only allow sluggish activation for
closing the dosing and adding device in some circumstances,
provision is made for a return means 42 which is assigned to the
engagement element 33. The return means 42 comprises a longitudinal
section 34 and one (or more) catches 44 extending perpendicularly
therefrom. A catch 45 which is arranged on the other side of the
longitudinal section 34 is connected to a shape-memory alloy 39 and
a conductor 46 having the form of a spring element. The
shape-memory alloy 39 and the conductor 46 are connected to contact
pins 58, 59 in an electrically conductive manner and are
electrically connected to each other via a conductor 47.
In order to move the dosing and adding device from its open
position OS into its closed position GS, a current is passed
through the shape-memory alloy 39 via a serially connected PTC
resistor (not shown). A contraction of the shape-memory alloy 39
occurs as a result of this (cf. arrow D). In this case, the catch
44 engages with the engagement element 33, thereby causing a
rotational movement in the direction of the arrow identified as
"B", until the engagement element 33 again assumes the position
shown by the continuous line and the membrane lies very closely
against the outlet. In this case, the original state of the
shape-memory alloy 38 is re-established at the same time with
assistance from the sprung conductor 40. The initial state of the
return means 42 can be re-established in a corresponding manner by
moving the valve activation lever 23 from its closed position GS to
the open position OS.
Depending on the number of chambers provided in a cartridge, a
number of dosing and adding devices are provided. In the exemplary
embodiment according to FIG. 4, five such devices are shown by way
of example. From this illustration, it can also be seen that the
return means 42 can be assigned to all dosing and adding devices
according to the invention. Irrespective of which and how many of
the dosing and adding devices were open, closure of all open gates
is effected as a result of the movement of the return means 42 in a
lateral direction.
It is also clearly visible from FIG. 4 that all parts of the
actuator system are arranged on the support 37. Conductor tracks 48
which run inside the support 37 and can be produced using e.g. the
insert technique are indicated by the broken lines in this context.
The control, i.e. injection of current into the shape-memory alloys
38, 39, is performed by a microprocessor 49 which is mounted on the
support 37. This can be mounted on the support 37 using e.g. the
plug-in technique. The microprocessor 49 can be connected to a
control unit of the dishwasher via a flexible cable.
FIG. 5 again shows a section through the device in FIG. 3, wherein
the electrical contacting of the conductor 40 and the shape-memory
alloy 38 via contact pins 52, 53 is evident in particular. Also
evident is the engagement element 32, which is an integral
component of the valve activation lever 23, wherein a rotation of
the valve activation lever 23 is caused by a contraction of the
shape-memory alloy 38 due to warming.
FIG. 6 shows an electrical equivalent circuit diagram, in which it
is evident in particular that just one shared PTC resistor 55 is
assigned to the shape-memory alloys 38 for opening the gate. An
additional PTC resistor 56 is assigned to the shape-memory alloy
39. A switch 57 which can be controlled by the microprocessor 49 is
provided in each case for activating each individual shape-memory
alloy. Depending on the layout of the system, a shared PTC resistor
could also be provided for the shape-memory alloy 38 and the
shape-memory alloy 39. However, the arrangement that is shown has
the advantage that short switching times can also be realized.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
1 Dishwasher 2 Housing 3 Door 4 Washing compartment 5 Kitchenware
basket 6 Kitchenware basket 7 Container wall 10 Cleaning-agent
dosing system 11 Cleaning-agent dispenser 12 Housing 13 Cover 19
Outlet 20 Dosing chamber 21 Canula 22 Valve lifter 23 Valve
activation lever 24 Spring 26 Seal/membrane 27 Valve stem 28 Valve
head 29 Collar of the seal/membrane 30 Bulb of the valve stem 31
Shoulder 32 Engagement element 33 Engagement element 35 Thrust
bearing 36 Projection 37 Support 38 Shape-memory alloy 39
Shape-memory alloy 40 Conductor 41 Conductor 42 Return means 43
Longitudinal section 44 Catch 45 Catch 46 Conductor 47 Conductor 48
Conductor track 49 Microprocessor 50 Cartridge 52 Contact pin 53
Contact pin 54 Reciprocal contact 55 PTC resistor 56 PTC resistor
57 Switch 58 Contact pin 59 Contact pin A First direction of
rotation B Second direction of rotation C Direction D Direction GS
Closed position OS Open position
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